How to keep plants in tank with no gravel?

[Raven43]

I have an antique 1 gallon tank I want to use for a betta. I'll be using a small filter, but think it will still need weekly water changes so not planning to use gravel. Is there any underwater plant I can use here? How would it be anchored to the bottom? I'm going to use some kind of floating plant as well.

[AABatteries]

Java moss would work great. I'll find the website where they did what you're wanting to do.
EDIT: Here it is: [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Raven43]

Perfect!

Now, any other ideas to make the betta happier? I normally wouldn't put any fish in a 1 gallon, but I really want to use the tank for fish.

[AABatteries]

Nope, just keep up on water changes so the water quality stays good.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

They have little mettle weights you can buy. They wrap around the bottom of the stem to keep them from floating up.

Some java fern with this would be good.

[AABatteries]

A java fern might attach its self to the moss.

[Lady Hobbs]

I have a bare bottom tank with lots of rocks and wood that has plants attached. You can also add plants in clay pots. However, you need the plant lights if you're planning on plants.

Some have grown low light plants with just their hood lights but seems to me at least 1 watt would be required per gallon.

[Raven43]

Are there any light bulbs for plants that could be used like a regular light bulb in a desk lamp? I haven't figured out yet what I could use for a tank lid. The tank is rectangular. Wish I had a camera to show it. The tank is just like a goldfish bowl, but rectangular in shape.

[Lady Hobbs]

Raven, just get a piece of glass cut to size and put your light on top of it.

With no substrate, you must be very careful tho when you change out your filter media as that's where all your bacteria is at.

[Raven43]

Good point. Do you think there's anything I could put in the tank for keeping the bacteria so I wouldn't completely disturb it during filter changes?

[Lady Hobbs]

Well, depends on what type of filter you have. But you won't be able to have much in a one gallon tank in the way of filtering. That's one of the advantages of a few handfuls of gravel so you have somewhere for bacteria to grow. Most is in the filter, tho. What kind of filter is in there now? You may have to get a small sponge filter.

Earlier I mentioned wood and rocks with plants but didn't notice you were talking about only a one gallon. oops You could just have some java moss in it but even that needs some sort of light. Maybe a desk light or direct light but not sunlight from the outside.

[Raven43]

I'm going to use Penn-Plax Smallworld filter.

[Lady Hobbs]

I've seen those and the entire filter is removed to replace so you can not leave part of the filter media behind.

I think you may have to treat this tank just as you would a goldfish in a bowl and do water changes every couple of days. I would try to get a 5 gallon betta tank really and save that one gallon for some shrimp maybe.

[Raven43]

True. I've been hearing a lot about the shrimp. Been away from the fish hobby for about 7 years. Once you start, it quickly gets addictive.

[DrNic]

Looks like you have things under control but another option for the plants is a small clay pot. Potted aquatic plants can be added to an aquarium. A little gravel or sand in the pot and with the plant will give the roots room to grow and keep the plant on the bottom. Suitable plastic versions can b found online, but I usually just goto the hardware store and pickup small ones there, then soak and wash them for a few days before use.